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The good

Any remote that worked with previous iPhones worked with the iPhone 7 through the adapter.

The adapter has no discernible effect on audio quality. We tested several pairs of headphones with both the iPhone 6s through the internal headphone port and the iPhone 7 via the adapter. If there is any variation in quality, it’s imperceptible.

We tested with all of our current wired-headphone picks and encountered no problems using their remote mics and controls. Any remote that worked with previous iPhones worked with the iPhone 7 through the adapter. This includes both Apple-certified and universal headphones. Android remotes that didn’t work previously won’t magically start working now, but if you have a pair that functioned well in the past, it still will.

The crackling and Siri-triggering issues that plagued the iPhone 6 when used with third-party headphones don’t seem to carry over to the iPhone 7 and its adapter. We took two pairs of headphones that we knew caused problems on the 6s and tested them with the 7 via the adapter, and we were pleasantly surprised that they functioned perfectly. So, yes, you’ll still need an adapter, but you won’t need to use a silicone O-ring anymore.

The bad

When we first tested the adapter, we experienced an issue (also documented on Twitter by iPhone user Scott O’Reilly) with remote and mic pods “timing out” when we left the adapter connected to the Lightning port without audio playing on a locked device for five minutes; the remote wouldn’t work again unless we unplugged and replugged the headphones or adapter. On September 23, however, Apple released a software update that addresses the remote time-out, and we can confirm that the software patch does indeed work. If you are experiencing such issues, check to see if you can update to iOS 10.0.2.

The problem didn’t seem to affect Apple’s new Earpods with Lightning Connector—only the adapter. It’s also notable that traditional headphones plugged into the iPhone 6s headphone jack (with the 6s running iOS 10) didn’t have this problem. So the issue was isolated to an interaction between the new adapter and the initial iOS 10 release.

Although the adapter is small enough to be unobtrusive, it’s also especially easy to lose. I misplaced it no fewer than three times just in the first weekend I had it.

The indifferent

If you like the old EarPods, you’ll like the Lightning EarPods. But if you were hoping for an upgrade via Lightning, you’ll be disappointed. The new EarPods with a Lightning cable don’t sound any better than the old EarPods do via a Lightning adapter. They still produce a slight peak in the high treble that amplifies any recording hiss, and the sound is still lacking in the low frequencies. Because of the headphones’ unsealed design, any truly deep notes are lost to the ear; all you tend to hear is overtones. However, speech is very clear for calls and podcasts, and the smooth pod fit that some fans like hasn’t changed one bit.

I took a run with our open-backed Bluetooth sport pick, the Plantronics BackBeat Fit. As you might expect (since the iPhone 7 works fine with standard Bluetooth devices), pairing was uneventful, and connectivity was the same as usual. I also tried taking a call with the boom mic on my work headset, the Voyager Focus UC, and everything was as normal.

Watch this space

If Apple releases any info or updates to address the adapter issue, or if any other audio-related news happens, we’ll update you here. And, of course, as soon as we have the AirPods on hand to test, we’ll be sure to let you know about that, too.

Updated on September 21, 2016, with confirmation that Apple is planning a future software fix for issues affecting some adapter features.

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